Air and moisture separator for compressed-air systems



Aug- .269 1930- A. A. sMALLHoUsE 1,774,295

AIR AND MOISTURE sEPARAToR FOR coMaEssED AIR sYs'rEus Filed' oct. 15, 1927 iN-VENTOR.

Meri Patented ug. 26, 193D ire-n j STATE if:

ALBERT A. SMALLHOUSE, OF LOS ANGELES, ALIFORNI AIR AND MOISTURE SEBARATOR FOR COMIY'RESSED-AIR SYSTEMS Application mea october 15, 19,27.v serial No. 226,497.

This invention relates to air and moisture separators for compressed air systems, and has for an object the provision of a sepa# rator unit adapted to be connected with the main air line at any suitable point, but preferably between'y a compressed air tank at a point where the compressedair is delivered from the tank for use, andso arranged that the air delivered from the compressor must pass' through a'plurality of chambers, by passes and the like successively before delivery to the tank. 1

It is an object to'provide an air filter ory separator composed of a plurality of sections, detachably held together and arranged in a bank or unit for attachment to a compressed air system. Y v

A further object is to provide a peculiar and effective arrangement of' chambers and passages for the air between the inlet and outlet, together 'with a multiplicity ofl cooling tins or vanes arranged internally and externally of the separator unit," in such a manner that the volume of Vair passing through the separator will be exposed to a maximum area of metal.- Y' Y y In the consideration of this invention it will be understood that when airis compressed for storage and use it is necessarily 30 heated to a substantial extent above atmospheric temperatures, and when so heated has a larger moisture carrying vcapacity than whenV cool. Accordingly, when the air 1s cooled in the tank, condensation takes place rand the air deliveredk from the tank for use contains a substantial quantity ofmoisture.

It is an object, therefore, of this invention to provide means for eliminating the moisture from the air before the air is delivered toa point of use or discharge. Y Other objects may appear Vas the description of my improvements progresses. In the-accompanying drawingsI; have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, subject to modification within the scope of the appended claims Without departing from the spirit thereof.

In said drawings: I Fig.,1fis asectional elevationof an assembled separator unit asfseen on line l-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a'sectional plan kon line 2-2 of Fig.1;andy 'l Fig. 3 is a sectional plan on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. i

As shown in Fig. 1, my improvements include al unit embodying separable sections A, B, C, D and E, arranged in tandem formation and concentrically mounted in axial alinement Other sections of the character of those designated at C and D may be inter-v posed between the sectionsA` and E, if desired, in order to afford a greater amount of cooling surface, depending upon requirements ofuse. y

Section A is at the bottom of vthe unit and vis provided with. an f inlet a, internally threaded to receive a `Vsection of pipe by means of which the inlet may be connected with a compressed air storage tank.V Said section is also provided with a drain outlet a having a passagel therein communicating with a chamber A within the section A.

Y A; pluralityof annular cooling fins as at 2, 2, etc., are provided on the exterior of the y section A, which preferably increase in diameter from Vthe `bottom upwardly of the section,` as shown.` f

Said member A is kprovided with an externally threaded nipple 3 at its upper end, y on the end ofwhich a flange tof the section B is supported.v The member C is provided with an internally threaded nipple which threads onto the nipple. 3 ofosection A, and an annular shoulder 6 formed internally of the member C abuts `the upper edge of the iange 4 of member B. Thus, when the members Aand C are secured togetherthe member B is supported intermediate .said members.

Member B has a depending cylindrical portion 7 of smaller diameter than the chamber A of the section A,and a web 8 at the upper end of saidl cylindrical portion by means of which a chamber' 9 is formed within the portion 7. A member l) is providedy internally of the member B, and includes a tubular portion 10 4which has an inlet-passage ll formed centrally therein, and is adapted to be removably connected with the inlet a of the section A.

Member o has a flange 12 which abuts the lower end of the cylindrical portion 7 of member B, and above said flange a helical vane b is `formed around the central tubular portion 10, the periphery of' the vane b fitting closely the periphery of the cylinder 9 within the member B.

The chamber 9 is in communication with the chamber A at a plurality of points immediately above the fiange 12 by means of apertures 13, 13, etc., formed in the cylinder 7. Thus, the air is admitted from a pressure line through the inlet A and tube l of member B, into the upper portion of chamber 9, and thence downwardly over the helically vaned portion ZJ into the lower portion of chamber 9, and outwardly through the ports 13 into the chamber A.

The web 8 of member B is provided with a plurality of apertures 14, 14, etc., by means of which the air from chamber A is admitted to a chamber C within the member C. Member C is provided with a plurality of annular hns 15, 15, etc., on the ez-:terior thereof, and a horizontal partition 16 having a plurality of perforations 17 therein for affording communication between the chamber C and an upper chamber 18.

Member D has an annular portion 19 at the lower end thereof which telescopes a portion 2O of member C, and said member also has an annular shoulder 21 which rests upon the top web 22 of member C. Said member C has an outlet portion 23 provided with ports 24 therein, below a hood-like flange 25 which is spaced from the web 22 and is of smaller diameter than the chamber D formed in the member D.

Thus, the chamber 18 communicates with the chamber D by means of the ports 24, so that the air is delivered into the chamber D and from thence through a series of perforations 26, etc., formed in a partition 27 of the member D to a chamber 28 in the upper end of said member D.

Member D has an outlet portion 29 with ports 3() formed therein and a hooded fiange 31 above, which is of smaller diameter than the chamber E formed in the lower portion of member E. Thus the air is delivered in turn from the chamber 28, through ports into the chamber E.

Member E has an annular portion 32 which telescopes a smaller portion 33 at the upper end of portion D, and an annular shoulder 34 is provided therein which rests upon the top portion 35 off member D. Members C and E are provided with annular flanges 36 and 37, respectively, which are connected by means of' a plurality of bolts 38, 38, ete., having nuts 39, 39, etc., on their ends, by means of which all of the sections A, B, C, D and E are detachably held together.

Member D is provided with a plurality of annular cooling fins 40 and member E has similar fins 41, 41, etc., on the exterior thereof, and is also provided with a plurality of fins 42, 42, etc., on the interior which provide an internally ribbed chamber 43 above the chamber E, as shown.

The member E is provided with an outlet 46 to which a pipe 47 may be attached, so that the chamber 43 will communicate with the passage 48 in said pipe for delivering the air from the separator unit to a point of use.

Tn operation, the assembled units composed of members A, B, C, D and E are attached together, as shown and described, the inlet a is connected with the compressed air storage tanlT and the outlet a is connected by means of pipe 47 with a point of discharge. When the compresed air line is open the air will flow through the inlet a and tube 10 into chamber 9, thence downwardly in a helical path to the bottoni of said chamber 9 and outwardly through port 13 into said chamber A.

From the chamber A the air will move upwardly through ports 14 into chamber C', thence through ports 17 into chamber 18, thence through ports 24 into chamber D, thence through ports 26 into chamber 28, thence through ports 30 into chamber L" and outwardly through chamber 43 and pipe 47.

The portions 8, 16, 22, 27 and 35 constitute baffles against which the air impinges for effecting condensation.

The eircuitous path of the air through the separator causes contact or" the volume of air with a maximum metal surface, which is cooled by means of the external and internal fins so that the moisture in the air will be retained in the separator, while the dry air is discharged therefrom under pressure.

The arrangement of the communicating ports between the several successive chamv` bers in the device permits the accunmlated moisture in said chambers to flow downwardl by gravity into the lower part of the ciamber A, from which it may be drained when and as necessary, through the drain outlet c.

lhile the'separator is in use said drain outlet is adapted to be closed by a plug or valve threaded into or suitably attached to the outlet. y

The several sections of the device arb preferably formed of a non-corrosive metal and the joints between the sections being packed by suitable gaskets 'for renderiitg the separator air and water tight.

It will be observed that the structure and. arrangement of my separator are oi such CIO Y therein will flow downwardly through the character that the several sections may be readily dis-assembled for the purpose of cleaning, or otherwise.`r`

K The sum of the areas et the communieating ports as at lll, 17, and 26 in the bailles or partitions between the chambers is substantially less than the area ot the inlet passage 1l, in order that the flow of air may be substantially retarded in each of the compartments for 'the purpose of effecting condensation.

Likewise, the outlet passage 48 is restricted by means of a disc 49 interposed between the chamber 43 in member E and the inner end of pipe 47. Said disc has a restricted orifice 50: therein which reduces the volume of air discharged from the outlet. The size of the oriiice 50 maybe made to conform to the volume of air required for a particular purpose at .the point of discharge, in order to prevent an undue accumulation of moisture in the pipe 48 after the air has been discharged from the separator unit.

It will be observed also that the arrangement of the inlet section A, together with the sectionrB is such that a maximum condensation willfbe effected within the chamber 9 as the air enters the separator. The liquid accumulated in said. chamber will flow downwardly over the Yhelical vane t1 into the bottom of chamber 9, and outwardly through theports 13 into the 'bottom of chamber A, from which it may be drained Vthrough the passage l in outlet a.

As the air flows lthrough 'the succeeding chambers whatever ymoisture is accumulated ports in the bailies, between said chambers and into chamber A.

It is important that all of the sections be provided with a maximum area of surface for exposure to the atmosphere, so that the entire separatorfunit may be keptA at substantiallyVv atmospheric temperature. The air deliverfedtotheseparator'is, of course, substantially above atmospheric temperature, and the impingement of the air on the several baffles in the separator will substanf tially cool the air and edect an almost complete condensation so that'4 yonly ldry air or substantially so will be delivered through the outlety pipe 4f?.k

It will also be observed that the successive chambers throughwhich the air must pass.

one chamber to another.` This insures con`V tact. of the `volume of air witha maximum area of metal in each of the chambers of the separator before it can be discharged there` from toa successive chamber.

ther benefitswill readily appear tov those familiar withrthe art.

What I claim is: I

l. An air and moisture separator comprising a plurality of sections detachably held together, and provided with intercommunicating chambers, one oit said sections having an inlet and another of said sections having an outlet, certain of said sections having bailies and said inlet section having a helical passage for directing air downV wardly, ports being provided in said sections and arranged for a'ording communication between said chambers in such a manner thatthe volume oi? air will be moved in a tortuouspath upwardly between said inlet section and said outlet, for the purpose described. f

2. An air and moisture separator coin-A prisinp`` a'plurality ot sections detachably j secured together Vand axially alined, said sections having externally formed cooling tins thereon, a series of baiiles internally formed in said sections providing a plu-k rality of inter-communieating chambers, one oi' said sections having an inlet and a `helical passage leadino downwardly, another of said sections having an outlet, whereby a volume of air l may be caused to flow downwardly and thence successively through said chamn bers in a tortuous path upwardly to the outlet Jfor eiiiecting condensation of the liquid content of the air.

8. Ank air and moisture separator comprising an inletsection having inner and outer chambers, means for admitting air to the top of the inner chamber, means for directing the flow of air downwardly and in a helical path to the bottom ofsaid inner chamber, and thence outwardly into said outer chamber, aplurality of additional sections connected with said inlet section'. and

provided with internaly bellies forming a.

series of `inter-icommunieating chambers arranged to permit the-'flow oair from said. outer chamber through said'seriesl of chamr bers in an indirect path, for effecting condensationv of the liquid content of the air.k

4. Any air and moisture separator comprisingy a plurality or' telescoping conceng trically arranged sections,detachably held together and including an inlet section, an outlet section,and a plurality of intermediate sections, said inlet section having inner and outer chambers, means Jfor admitting air to the upper portion of said inner chamber, means for effecting the VHow of air downwardly in a helical path from the upper portionto the lower portion ofsaid inner chamber and into said outer chamber, aplurality of baliles said Ysections and kvproviding a succession of inter-communicating chambers arranged to effect the lowof air therethrough. in an y indirectV path, a plurality of internal battles internally formed in loo in said outlet section, said outlet section having an outlet, and means disposed at said outlet for restricting the flow of air therethrough.

An air and moisture separator comprising a plurality of telescoping concentrically arranged sections, detachably held together and including an inlet section, an outlet section, and a plurality of intermediate sections, said inlet section having inner and out-er cham ers, means for admitting air to the upper portion of said inner chamber, means for eit'ecting the flow of air downwardly in a helical path from the upper portion to the lower portion of said inner chamber and into said outer chamber, a plurality of baffles internally formed in said intermediate sections and providing a succession of intercommunicating chambers arranged to effect the flow of air therethrough in an indirect path, a plurality of internal battles in said outlet section, said outlet section having an outlet, means disposed at said outlet for restricting the flow of air therethrough, and means termed on said inlet section for draining the products of condensation there-from.

6. An air and moisture separator comprising a plurality of sections detachably held together, and provided with an inlet and an outlet at its opposite extremities, a plurality of internal baiiles formed in said sections and providing a succession ot compartments, ports formed in said baiiles for aifording communication between said compartments, the area of the ports between adjacent compartments being less than the area of said inlet tor retarding the flow of air through said compartments, and means for restrict-V ing the discharge of air through said outlet.

7. An air and moisture separator comprising a plurality of sections detachably held together, and provided with an inlet and an outlet at its opposite extremities, a-pluralitIyT of internal baffles formed in said sections and providing a succession of compartments, ports formed in said baos for ailording communication between said compartments, the area of the ports between adjacent compartments being less than the area or" said inlet Jfor retarding the flow of air through said compartments, means for restricting the discharge ot air through said outlet, cooling iins being formed on each of said sections, and means for draining the products of condensation therefrom.

S. An air and moisture separator comprising outer and inner members mounted in spaced relation one within the other and forming an annular passage therebetween, said outer member having an inlet for air, the upper portion ot the chamber in the inner member being in communication with said inlet, the lower portion of the chamber of the inner member being in communication with the chamber of the outer member, means in the inner member for directing air downwardly in a helical path to the chamber of the outer member, and outlet means at the top of the chamber of the outer -member for discharging the air therefrom.

9. An air and moisture separator as characterized in claim 8 including a plurality of chambers above said outlet means arranged in inter-coinmunication whereby the air Jfrom the said outer member may be directed upwardly in a tortuous path through said chambers.

l0. An air and moisture separator comprising outer and inner members mounted in spaced relation one ii'thin the other and 'forming an annular passage therebetween, said outer member having an air inlet, the upper portion of the chamber in the inner member being in communication with said inlet, the lower portion of the chamber of the inner member being in communication with the outer member, means in the inner member for directing air downwardly in a helical path to the chamber of the outer member, out-let means at the top oi the chamber of the outer member, a plurality of chambers above said outlet means arranged in inter-connnunication, whereby the air from said outer member may be directed upwardly in a tortuous path thru said chambers, and an outlet member in communication with the uppermost of said chambers 'for discharging the air from the separator, said outer member having means for draining moisture therefrom.

ALBERT A. SMALLHOUSE. 

